QUICK ANSWER
There is no official ranking of undergraduate fine art programmes, and most published “best fine arts” lists rank graduate MFA programmes. A more useful way to compare five schools that appear often in our record, RISD, SAIC, SVA, Pratt and MICA, is by when they ask you to specialise and how often they fund our admits.
Fine art is also the hardest major to fund in our record: 39 of 148 fine-art admits (26%) received an award, averaging $58,451 (n=39). That makes the school list especially important.
FINE ART FIVE · 1
When Each School Asks You to Specialise
| School | Structure |
|---|---|
| SVA | Fine Arts department from year 1: Drawing, Painting, Sculpture and Digital Fabrication; electives from year 2 |
| Pratt | Foundation year first; choose painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and integrated practices, or jewelry in year 2 |
| MICA | First Year Experience; major usually confirmed by March 1 of the first year |
| RISD | First year before choosing a major in the spring; Painting is one of several fine-art majors |
| SAIC | “No major” model: a BFA in Studio across disciplines, with a first-year course on contemporary practices |
From each school’s curriculum and academic pages, checked October 2026.
For a student who already knows painting is the medium, SVA’s early focus suits. For a student who wants to move between media for years, SAIC’s model fits better. Pratt, MICA and RISD sit between, with a shared first year before choosing.
FINE ART FIVE · 2
How Often These Schools Fund Our Admits
| School | Our admits | With an award | Average award |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICA | 64 | 51 (80%) | $54,290 (n=51) |
| SAIC | 81 | 56 (69%) | $46,775 (n=56) |
| Pratt | 102 | 40 (39%) | $67,638 (n=40) |
| SVA | 140 | 41 (29%) | $58,944 (n=41) |
| RISD | 68 | 4 (6%) | Not reported (n=4) |
Royal Blue results record, 2009–2026, all majors combined. We do not combine school and major figures, because the samples are too small.
FOR KOREAN FINE-ART STUDENTS
Because fine art is funded less often than other majors in our record, include at least one high-award school such as MICA or SAIC beside RISD, SVA or Pratt. Our comparison of SVA and Pratt for fine art and our gallery artist roadmap go further.
FINE ART FIVE · 3
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an official ranking of undergraduate fine art programmes?
No. Most published fine-arts rankings cover graduate MFA programmes, not undergraduate BFAs.
Which school lets me start painting in the first year?
SVA’s BFA Fine Arts includes Drawing, Painting and Sculpture courses from the first year.
Does SAIC require a major?
SAIC describes its model as having no major: students take a BFA in Studio and work across disciplines.
How often are fine-art students funded in your record?
39 of 148 fine-art admits (26%) received an award, averaging $58,451 (n=39).
Which of these schools funds most of your admits?
MICA (80%) and SAIC (69%) in our record, compared with 6% at RISD.
ROYAL BLUE ART & DESIGN
For 19 years we have prepared Korean students for U.S. art schools from our studio in Apgujeong, Seoul. Our public record lists 1,099 acceptances confirmed directly with students at 95 schools. We help fine-art students build lists that balance fit and funding. Call 02-3446-5929 or book a consultation.
Curriculum details from SVA, Pratt, MICA, RISD and SAIC academic pages. Royal Blue figures from our results record (2009–2026). Checked October 2026. If something here has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Related reading: SVA vs Pratt for Fine Art · Gallery Artist Roadmap · MICA Guide · Pratt Guide · Royal Blue Results